To prtlJent IJ3ackfliJing. world which is the mortal enemy of the Love ofGod. Ke<p tht world from your hearrs, if ou would keep your graces. • . Y J)irell. 8. ' 9· '11· Dire~..8. Kttp a Jlrill Govtrnmmt ~nd watch ovtr your _flefh!J appetitt and fenfe. For the Rom. s. 1~· Joofihg Df the rems to carnallulh, a?d y1eldmg to rhe tmponumty of fcntual d'efire5, is the mofi: or.. Roro-1;. 1';, dinary way of wafting grace, and tallmg off from God. D' l1 14 ' 9· 20. Dired-. P· Ktep as far asy(lu can from Temptations, and aU occajionJ andopportunitiuoffinning tre ' 9 • Trufi not to your own firength_; ~nd be not [o fool. hardy as to thrufi your felvt.sinto needlefs danger. No man is long fafe that fiandeth at the brink of luine: If the fire and firaw be long near togcthe; Toincfpatk is likerocatch at latl. ' Direti. 10. 9· 21. Diru~t. 10. Incorporate your [elves imo the CommuniM of Saint/ , and go along ~itb t~Jem that go towards Heaven, and rngat.e your [tlves in the conftomt ufe of all tholf mt811J, whichGod lwb appointtd you to ufe for your per{evtranct : Efpecially take h"d of an idle j/othjul unprojildb/e lift : And ~ef your graceJ iu the mojt lively exercife : ·For the jlotbful UBro1ber to the wajfer: Ani idlencfs cort!umcth or corrupteth our fpiritual hea~th and firength, as wdl as our bodily. Set your (elves diligently to work while it is day, and do all the good in your places, that you are able? for it i$ aCts that preferve and increafe the habits: And a Religion whichconCi{h:th only in doirfg no hurt, is fo lifelefs_and corrupt, that it will quickly pcrifh. Direll. I I· §. 22. Direct. 1I. K"p alw•yu in thine eye the do!tful cafe of a Backjlider, (which I opened before: J. 0 what horror is waiting to (eize on their confciences ? How many ofthem have weknown that on tht:ir death-beds have lain roaring in the anguit'b of their fouls, crying our, [ [ am utter. Iy forfaken of God, bccaufe I have_ farfaken him ? There is no mercy for fuch an apofiate wreu;h : 0 that I had never been born , or had been any thing rather than a man ! Curfed be the day.that ever I hearkncd ro the counfd of the Wicked, and that ever I pleafed this corruptible fh::Ch, to the utter undoing of my foul ! 0 that it were all to do again ! TJke warning by a mad beforted !inner, that have lofi my foul for that which l knew would ne. ver make me fatisfaCbon, and have turned from God when 1 had fOund him to be good and gracious J. 0 prepare not for fuch pangs as thefe, or worfe than thcfe in endlefs defpc. ration. Dird/. 12, · ~· 23· Direct. 12· Makj not afmaUmatter c{the brginningtof yaur backfliding. There are very few that fall quite away at once, the mi.fery c~eeperh on by inienfible degrees. You think it a {mall matter to cur lhort one duty, and omit a11ot~er , and be negligent. at anot~er; and ro en· ttrtain fome ple-.ifiug thoughts of the world; or nrll to koil. on the forbtdden fruJt, and then to touc~ it, and then to ta/le it: but rhcfe arc the way to that whtch IS no, {maD: Athought, or a looil., or a t•jle, or a delight hath begun that with many , which never llopt, till it had fhamed them here, and damned them for ever. }•I • I CHAP. ·~ <(
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